Man tries carjacking mother with 2 kids at Countryside Mall

Clearwater, Florida -- Clearwater police are searching for a man who attempted to carjack a woman at gunpoint at Westfield Countryside Mall Sunday afternoon.

Police say the 24-year-old woman outside her car between Macy's and J.C. Penney with her two school-aged children when a man approached her. He then pulled out a silver or chrome handgun, pulled back the slide and demanded her vehicle.

When another car pulled into a parking space nearby, police say the man apparently was startled and ran away. He ran south toward Countryside Boulevard and then west.

He is described as a black male, in his middle 20's, between 5'5" and 5'9" tall, with a medium build. He was clean shaven and had short black hair. He was wearing a baggy white polo shirt with green and blue horizontal stripes and dark jeans. He also was carrying a dark shoulder bag.

The images above show the suspect inside the mall just before the carjacking incident.

Anyone with information on this case should call Clearwater Police at 562-4242.